Saoul comme un Polonais
Meaning: Extremely drunk.
Language: French
Literally: Drunk as a Pole
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The origin runs against the modern reading: Napoleon is said to have answered criticism of his drunk Polish cavalry, after their charge at Somosierra in 1808, by saying one had to be drunk as a Pole to do what they had just done. It began as praise for courage and was reheard as an insult.
More idioms — Daily Life
- Défendre son pré carré — To protect one's own territory or area of authority.
- Lâcher la proie pour l'ombre — To give up something real in pursuit of something illusory.
- Nul n'est prophète en son pays — Recognition is hardest to win from the people who know you.
- Une victoire à la Pyrrhus — A win whose cost makes it indistinguishable from defeat.
- En quarantaine — In quarantine; isolated from contact.
- Tomber en quenouille — To decline into neglect; to fall apart through mismanagement.
More French idioms
- Sans queue ni tête — Making no sense at all.
- Être sur le qui-vive — To be tensely alert.
- En rade — Stranded; left behind.
- Faire du ramdam — To make a great deal of noise.
- Un remède de bonne femme — A folk cure of doubtful value.
- Tirer sa révérence — To take one's leave, with a show of formality.
From our false friends
- Phrase — Actually means 'sentence'. For a short phrase or expression, say une expression.
- Ignorer — Actually means 'to be unaware of' or 'not to know'. J'ignore la réponse = I don't know th…
- Déception — Actually means 'disappointment'. For deception (a trick), say tromperie.
Loading the full interactive collection…